Stacked card connector

ABSTRACT

A stacked card connector ( 100 ) adaptor for receiving cards includes a first electrical card connector ( 1 ), a second electrical card connector ( 2 ) under the first electrical card connector and a retaining member ( 4 ) integral with the second insulating housing. The first card connector includes a first insulating housing ( 12 ) received a plurality of first terminals ( 13 ). The second card connector includes a second insulating housing ( 22 ) received a plurality of second terminals ( 23 ). The retaining member defines a plurality of slots ( 41 ), said first and second terminals partially passing through the slots.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a card connector to be used in apersonal computer or the like for connecting and disconnecting a card tothe personal computer. Here, the card generally refers to a memory cardsuch as personal computer (PC) card or the like.

2. Description of Prior Arts

Modem times, the PC card is always used as an external equipment forincrease the storage of the electrical consumer products, like Mobilephone, Digital camera, etc. The electrical card connector is used forelectrically connecting the PC card and the electrical consumerproducts. Specially, a card connector is disclosed by the prior art,which comprises a plurality of card connectors stacked with each otherto save the space of the electrical products. Meantime, for improvingthe quality of signals transmitting, some of stacked card connector usean electrical converting plate to electrical connect with a printedcircuit board (PCB).

The prior arts discloses a stacked card connector comprising a firstcard connector, a second card connector stacked with the first cardconnector and a converting plate assembled on the second card connector.However, this kind of converting plate is separated with the cardconnector, during assembly, we need to increase assembling step tomounted the converting plate.

Therefore, we need an improved stacked card connector to solve theseproblems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a stacked cardconnector, which is easily mating with a converting plate.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, a stacked card connectoradaptor for receiving cards includes a first electrical card connector,a second electrical card connector under the first electrical cardconnector and a retaining member integral with the second insulatinghousing. The first card connector includes a first insulating housingreceived a plurality of first terminals. The second card connectorincludes a second insulating housing received a plurality of secondterminals. The retaining member defines a plurality of slots, said firstand second terminals partially passing through the slots.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description of thepresent embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stacked card connector of presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the stacked card connector ofpresent invention as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the stacked card connector of presentinvention as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a converting plate of the stacked cardconnector of present invention as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the stacked card connector of presentinvention as shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the part labeled in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with referenceto FIG. 1 through FIG. 6.

In FIG. 1, a stacked card connector 100 of present invention comprises afirst connector 1, a second connector 2 mounted under the firstconnector 1, a converting plate 3 mating with the first and the secondconnector 1, 2 and a retaining member 4.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 2, the first connector 1 is formed in anapproximately longitudinal shape, and comprises a first shell 11 in arectangular shape, and a first insulating housing 12 receiving aplurality of first terminals 13. The first shell 11 defining a firstreceiving space 10 and a first opening (not labeled) for card inserting,comprises a body plate 111 and a pair of side walls 112 extendingdownwardly from the body plate 111. The first insulating housing 12comprises longitudinal base 121 and a base seat 14 extending from an endof the base 121. The first shell 11 connecting with the base 121 of thefirst insulating housing 12 opposite to the opening. The base seat 14comprises a triangular guiding block (not labeled). The first terminals13 partially received in the base 121, comprises a horizontal portion131 and a vertical portion 132 extending downwardly from an end of thehorizontal portion 131. The horizontal portion 131 is retained in thebase 121 of the first insulating housing 12.

The second connector 2 comprises a second insulating housing 23, asecond shell 21 covering on the second insulating housing 22 and aplurality of second terminals 23 received in the second insulatinghousing 22. The second shell 21 defines a second receiving space 20adaptor for receiving a second card. Each second terminal 23 comprises acontacting portion (not labeled), a vertical tail portion 232 beyond thesecond insulating housing 22 and a horizontally portion 231 connectingthe contacting portion and the tail portion 232. The tail portion 232vertically extends from an end of the connecting portion 231. Thevertical portions 132 of the first terminals 13 and the tail portions232 of the second terminals are arranged in a line in a lateraldirection.

As shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, the second insulating housing 22forms a retaining member 4 at an end thereof. The retaining member 4defines a plurality of vertical slots 41 arranged in a line in thelateral direction. The retaining member 4 further comprises a receivingcavity 42 communicating with the vertical slots 41. The vertical slots41 are provided for corresponding first terminals 13 and the secondterminals 23 passing through. The converting plate 3 is received in thereceiving cavity 43. The retaining member 4 comprises a front insidesurface 421 communicating with the vertical slots 41 and a rear insidesurface 422. The vertical portion 132 of the first terminal 13 and thetail portion 232 of the second terminal 23 pass through the verticalslot 41 to attach the front inside surface 421. The retaining member 4is integral with the second insulating housing 22.

Referring to FIG. 3-FIG 6, the longitudinal converting plate 3 comprisesa longitudinal body 31, a plurality of third terminals 32. The body 31comprises a main portion 311, a receiving portion 312 extending upwardlyfrom the main portion 311 and a positioning portion 313 extendingdownwardly from the main portion 311 to positioning the converting plate3 on a printed circuit board (PCB). The receiving portion 312 defines aplurality of terminal cavities 314 at a lateral side thereof forreceiving the third terminals 32. Each terminal cavity 314 defines avertical cutout at the lateral surface of the receiving portion 312.Each third terminal 32 comprises a vertically extending retaining part323, a resilient and curved contacting part 326 bent from the top end ofthe retaining part 323, a soldering part 325 extending horizontally fromthe bottom end of the retaining part 323. Each curved contacting part326 forms free end 322. The third terminals 32 are assembled intocorresponding terminal cavities 314 in an up-to-down direction. Theretaining parts 323 are retained in the terminal cavities 314, the freeends 322 of the contacting parts 326 are received in the terminalcavities 314 and face to the inside of the terminal cavities 314, thecontacting parts 326 are partially beyond the lateral surface of thereceiving portion 312 from the cutouts and the soldering parts 325 arebeyond the bottom surface of the main portion 311. The converting plate3 mates with the retaining member 4 with the receiving portion 31received in the receiving cavities. Correspondingly, the contactingparts 326 of the third terminals 32 electrically connecting with thevertical portion 132 of the first terminals 13 and the tail portions 232of the second terminals 23 at the front inside surface 421 of thereceiving cavity 43.

In this embodiment, the first card is a type of Express card, and thesecond card is a Smart card.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention tothe full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms inwhich the appended claims are expressed.

1. A stacked card connector adaptor for receiving cards, comprising: afirst electrical card connector comprising a first insulating housingreceived a plurality of first terminals; a second electrical cardconnector under the first electrical card connector comprising a secondinsulating housing received a plurality of second terminals; and aretaining member integral with the second insulating housing defining aplurality of slots, said first and second terminals partially passingthrough the slots.
 2. The stacked card connector as claimed in claim 1,wherein the retaining member defines a receiving cavity communicatingwith the slots, said first and second terminals passing through theslots into the receiving cavity.
 3. The stacked card connector asclaimed in claim 2, further comprising a converting plate received inthe receiving cavity of the retaining member.
 4. The stacked cardconnector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the converting plate comprisesa main portion and a receiving portion extending from the main portion,the receiving portion is received in said receiving cavity of theretaining member.
 5. The stacked card connector as claimed in claim 4,wherein the converting plate comprises a plurality of third terminalsextending beyond the lateral surface of the receiving portion andelectrically connecting with corresponding first and second terminals.6. The stacked electrical card connector as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe first insulating housing comprises a base and a base seat extendingfrom the base.
 7. The stacked electrical card connector as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first card connector comprises a first shellcovering on the first insulating housing, the first shell defines afirst receiving space.
 8. The stacked card connector as claimed in claim7, wherein the first insulating housing forms a triangular guiding blockin the first receiving space.
 9. The stacked card connector as claimedin claim 1, wherein the second card connector comprises a terminalmodule received in the second insulating housing, and wherein saidsecond terminals are partially received in the terminal module.
 10. Astacked connector assembly comprising: a first connector and a secondconnector stacked upon the first connector; said first connectorincluding a first insulative housing cooperating with a first shell todefine a first card receiving cavity for receiving a first card; saidsecond connector including a second insulative housing cooperating witha second shell to define a second card receiving cavity for receiving asecond card; a plurality of first contacts disposed in the first housingand extending into the first receiving cavity; a plurality o secondcontacts disposed in the second housing and extending into the secondreceiving cavity; a retainer member unitarily formed with one of saidfirst housing and said second housing, and further defining a pluralityof passageways to retainably hold vertical tails of at least the secondcontacts.
 11. The stacked connector assembly as claimed in claim 10,wherein said retainer member further defines a downward receiving cavityto receive herein a converting plate having a third insulative housingwith a plurality of third contacts therein to mechanically andelectrically engage the corresponding tails of the at least the secondcontacts.
 12. The stacked connector assembly as claimed in claim 11,wherein the tails of both said first contacts and said second contactsare received in said retainer member and engaged with the correspondingthird contacts, respectively.
 13. The stacked connector assembly asclaimed in claim 12, wherein both first contacts and the second contactsinclude horizontal sections linked to the corresponding vertical tailsbefore entering the corresponding passage-ways of the retainer member.14. The stacked connector assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein saidhorizontal sections of both said first contacts and said second contactsare located at a same horizontal plane.
 15. The stacked connectorassembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said retainer member isunitarily formed with the first housing.
 16. A stacked connectorassembly comprising: a first connector and a second connector stackedupon the first connector; said first connector including a firstinsulative housing cooperating with a first shell to define a first cardreceiving cavity for receiving a first card; said second connectorincluding a second insulative housing cooperating with a second shell todefine a second card receiving cavity for receiving a second card; aplurality of first contacts disposed in the first housing and extendinginto the first receiving cavity; a plurality o second contacts disposedin the second housing and extending into the second receiving cavity,each of said second contacts defines a reverse L-shaped tail at a rearend thereof; a retainer member defining an upper portion on which ahorizontal section of the tail of each second contacts is seated, and aplurality of passageways each to retainably hold a vertical section ofthe tail of each second contact, said retainer member further defining adownward receiving cavity to receive a converting plate therein, under acondition that said converting plate includes a plurality of thirdcontacts therein to mechanically and electrically engage the verticalsections of the tails of the corresponding second contacts,respectively, under a condition that the third contacts and thehorizontal sections are located on a same side of the correspondingvertical sections, respectively.
 17. The stacked connector assembly asclaimed in claim 16, wherein said retainer member is unitarily formedwith the first housing.